The most famous Streetfood in Florence; Lampredotto!

Lampredottowithout a doubt is the most famous streetfood of Florence, simply described as a meat sandwich, lampredotto as the meat itself is the 4th part of the stomach of the cow. The name lampredotto comes from a fish called Lampreda, only because this fish has a similar structure.

At first the stomach was a waste food but the story tells us that in the middle ages the city of Florence was poor and lampredotto was very cheap, so they started to eat lampredotto more often and thus they discovered that it is full of protein and it has an astonishing taste.

It is full of protein and it has an astonishing taste

You can get it for example -like most locals- in the small kiosks in the streets of Firenze. The best way to eat Lampredotto is in the form of a sandwich/bun with salt, pepper, plenty of green sauce and spicy sauce, what’s very important is to put one side of the bread a few seconds into the broth where you previously cooked the meat to give it an amazing flavor.

There are also of course some different ways to eat Lampredotto, for example all'uccelletta, inzimino, con carciofi, con porri, all of them as delightful.

The meat is quite easy to find in Florence, just go to a butcher's shop and ask. It is a perfect example of something relatively easy to cook, but as with many Italian dishes everyone has his personal secrets to make it special.

Everyone has his personal secrets to make it special

If you are not from Tuscany it could be a bit difficult to understand the love for this food but as soon as you try you will for sure fall in love with it!

By Marco Raugei, Florence local and former chef at Madame e in cucina.